Food stamp cuts key to farm bill's fate in House

Lucas said the cuts would still allow people who qualify to apply for food stamps, they just wouldn't automatically get them.

The Oklahoma Republican has called the overall legislation the "most reform-minded bill in decades." He said it would make needed cuts to food stamps and eliminate $5 billion a year in direct payments, subsidies that are paid to farmers whether they grow or not. The bill would expand crop insurance and makes it easier for rice and peanut farmers to collect subsidies.

Any changes to the delicate balance of farm subsidy support in the bill could cause lawmakers who represent the regions or crops affected to turn on the legislation. Amendments targeting sugar and dairy subsidies were expected to have contentious votes.

It has been more than five years since the House passed a farm bill. Since then, Republicans took control of the House and more than 200 new members have been elected; many are conservatives who replaced rural Democrats.

The politics of farm and food aid have also changed since then. Farm country is enjoying record-high prices and is one of the most profitable sectors of the economy, causing many lawmakers to question why farmers still receive more than $15 billion a year in subsidies. The food stamp program has doubled in cost as the economy has struggled.

If the bill fails, said Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota, the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, Congress will have to haggle over another extension of current law.

"If we can't get this through now, I don't know when we can," he said.